'''Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport''' ({{IATA|ALM}}) ({{ICAO|KALM}}), is located just outside of Alamogordo. [http://www.pacificwings.com/nma/index.asp New Mexico Airlines] provides service from Alamogordo to [[Albuquerque]] and [[Ruidoso (New Mexico) | Ruidoso]] on a Cessna 208 Grand Caravan. The closest major airport is [[El_Paso | El Paso International Airport]] 90 miles to the south.

+

The closest major airport is [[El_Paso | El Paso International Airport]] 90 miles to the south.

+

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'''Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport''' ({{IATA|ALM}}) ({{ICAO|KALM}}), is located just outside of Alamogordo but does not serve commercial traffic anymore (only general aviation).

* '''White Sands Hot Air Balloon Invitational'''. This annual balloon festival sees numerous balloons rising over the monument. Held Saturday and Sunday, with the 2012 event's Saturday launch from Alamogordo and Sunday from [[White Sands National Monument]].

==Do==

==Do==

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*'''Trinity Site Tour''' - ''+1 800'' 826-0294, departs from Tularosa High School Athletic Field. The trinity site (where the first nuclear bomb was detonated) is open twice a year for tours. The tours begin at 6:30 am and cost $35. They happen on the first saturday of April and October.

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*'''Trinity Site Tour''' - ''+1 800'' 826-0294, (575) 678-1134, [http://www.wsmr.army.mil/PAO/Trinity/Pages/default.aspx], [http://www.alamogordo.com/trinity-site/]. The Trinity site, where the first atomic bomb was detonated in 1945, is open twice a year for tours on the first Saturday in April and October. Tours depart from Tularosa High School Athletic Field, begin at 6:30 am and cost $35.

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**Dates:

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**2012: 7 April and 6 October.

*'''Desert Lake Golf Course''' - 2351 Hamilton Rd, ''+1 575'' 437-0290, [http://www.desertlakesgolf.com/]. Desert Lakes Golf Course is a true “desert” beauty with the Sacramento Mountains in the background. This is quickly emerging as one of the finest 18-hole golf courses in southern New Mexico. It recently was renovated to make it a more challenging and beautiful course. Open 7- days per week weather permitting.

*'''Desert Lake Golf Course''' - 2351 Hamilton Rd, ''+1 575'' 437-0290, [http://www.desertlakesgolf.com/]. Desert Lakes Golf Course is a true “desert” beauty with the Sacramento Mountains in the background. This is quickly emerging as one of the finest 18-hole golf courses in southern New Mexico. It recently was renovated to make it a more challenging and beautiful course. Open 7- days per week weather permitting.

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*'''Holloman Airforce Base''' - Hwy 70 just west of Alamogordo, [http://www.holloman.af.mil/]. Holloman is home to the F-117 Nighthawk and will soon be home to the F-22 Raptor.

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*'''Holloman Airforce Base''' - Hwy 70 just west of Alamogordo, [http://www.holloman.af.mil/]. Holloman is home to the F-22 Raptor, the MQ-9 Reaper, and the MQ-1 Predator. It will soon be home to the F-16, to arrive from Luke AFB near Phoenix, AZ.

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**It has static displays of the F-117 Nighthawk on the third thursday of each month.

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**Every two years they put on a large air show, [http://hollomanairshow.com/].

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***Dates:

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**Every two years they put on a large air show. The next airshow will be Friday, October 26th - Sunday, October 28th 2007.

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***2007: 26-28 October 2007

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***2009:

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***2011:

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***2013:

**The Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge occurs at Holloman. Put on by [http://space.xprize.org/lunar-lander-challenge/ X-Prize], teams compete for a chance to will $2 million for completing a series of challenges in a competition designed to find technology for the next generation of lunar landers. This year it will coincide with the airshow, Friday, October 26th - Sunday, October 28th 2007.

**The Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge occurs at Holloman. Put on by [http://space.xprize.org/lunar-lander-challenge/ X-Prize], teams compete for a chance to will $2 million for completing a series of challenges in a competition designed to find technology for the next generation of lunar landers. This year it will coincide with the airshow, Friday, October 26th - Sunday, October 28th 2007.

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*'''The Tularosa Basin wine festival''' each fall, usually the weekend before the Balloon Fest in Albuquerque [http://www.tularosabasinwinefest.com/]. In 2011, dates were 17-18 September.

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*'''La Luz public shooting range.''' A public shooting range in nearby La Luz with 50, 200 and 360 yard bays. Shoot all day for $5. [http://co.otero.nm.us/MiscDept/shootrg.htm]

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*'''The Tularosa Basin wine festival''' each fall, usually the weekend before the Balloon Fest in Albuquerque [http://www.tularosabasinwinefest.com/].

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**Dates:

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**2011: 17-18 September.

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**2012: 15-16 September.

*'''Oktoberfest.''' The last weekend in September, hosted by the German Air Force at Holloman AFB.

*'''Oktoberfest.''' The last weekend in September, hosted by the German Air Force at Holloman AFB.

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**Dates:

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**2012: 22 September.

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*'''La Luz public shooting range.''' A public shooting range in nearby La Luz with 50, 200 and 360 yard bays. Shoot all day for $5. [http://co.otero.nm.us/MiscDept/shootrg.htm]

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*'''The Bataan Memorial Death March.''' [http://www.bataanmarch.com/] Each year, WSMR and the VFW sponsor a marathon in memory of the participants of the Bataan Death March in WWII.

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**Dates:

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**2012: 25 March 2012.

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**2013: 17 March 2013.

==Learn==

==Learn==

Line 132:

Line 151:

==Get out==

==Get out==

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*'''[[White Sands National Monument]]''' makes a nice day excursion from Alamogordo, it is about 45 minutes southwest by car.

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*'''[[White Sands National Monument]]''' makes a nice day excursion from Alamogordo, it is about 20 minutes southwest by car.

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*'''White Sands Missile Range'''[http://www.wsmr.army.mil/Pages/Home.aspx] is an army base about 45 minutes southwest by car. General public visitors should check on times and ability to access the base.

*'''[[Ruidoso]]''' is an hour away and '''[[Cloudcroft]]''' is less than 30 minutes away, both are great mountain retreats.

*'''[[Ruidoso]]''' is an hour away and '''[[Cloudcroft]]''' is less than 30 minutes away, both are great mountain retreats.

*'''The Inn of the Mountain Gods''' [http://innofthemountaingods.com/] is a hotel and casino, along with golf, horseback riding, and a hunting lodge on the nearby Mescalero Apache reservation. Itis accessible by road between Alamogordo and Ruidoso.

*'''The Inn of the Mountain Gods''' [http://innofthemountaingods.com/] is a hotel and casino, along with golf, horseback riding, and a hunting lodge on the nearby Mescalero Apache reservation. Itis accessible by road between Alamogordo and Ruidoso.

Revision as of 10:07, 28 April 2013

White Sands Boulevard, Alamogordo.

Alamogordo[1] is a city in southeasternNew Mexico, in the USA. The population was estimated at 36,069 in July, 2006. The city name is a Spanish word meaning "fat cottonwood". The local zip code is 88310.

Contents

Understand

Alamogordo began as a small hamlet for ranchers and farmers due to the railroad passing through the city. The first nuclear bomb was detonated outside Alamogordo at the Whitesands Missle Range in 1945. It currently exists as the county seat for Otero County and to support Holloman Airforce Base and White Sands Missile Range.

Get in

By Car

U.S. Route 54, 70 and 82 all go through Alamogordo. U.S. 54 meet El Paso about 90 miles to the south. U.S. 70 & 84 meet Las Cruces and I-25 about 70 miles to the southwest. U.S. 54 North goes through La Luz, Tularosa and Carrizozo where it meets U.S. 380. U.S. 380 west will meet up with San Antonio, NM and I-25. U.S. 70 will head northeast to Ruidoso. Finally, 82 east will meet Artesia and U.S. 285 after 110 miles. From there it is 40 miles north to Roswell and 35 miles south to Carlsbad, two popular tourist towns.

By Bus

By Train

Depsite the railroad going through Alamogordo, no commuter service is available and Union Pacific ceased stopping there at the beginning of 2006.

Get around

Alamogordo is a small city and one could easily walk most of the city.

There are two taxi services available:

Dollar Cab, +1 575 434-8294

T-N-T Taxi Service, +1 575 437-2292

Public transportation is provided by Z-Tranz +1 575 439-4900.

See

Alamogordo Toy Train Depot.

New Mexico Museum of Space History, Top of Highway 2001 (Turn east from Highway 54/70 on Indian Wells Road for 2 miles to end, turn left on Scenic Drive.), ☎+1 877 333-6589 (fax: +1 575 434-2245), [3]. Daily 9AM-5PM. A surprisingly large complex of museums and displays including the International Space Hall of Fame and a piece of moon rock. The museum hosts a well-regarded youth camp in the summer. IMAX movies require a separate admission and combo tickets are available. The parking lot contains the grave of Ham, the first chimp in space.Adult (13 to 59) $6, Senior Citizens (60+) and (Military - active, retired, & dependents) $5, Child (4 to 12 yrs) $4, 3 and under free.

Alameda Park and Zoo, 1321 N White Sands Blvd, +1 575 439-4290, [4]. The oldest zoo in the Southwest. It was established in 1898 by the railroad. The zoo contains about 300 animals of 90 different species. The zoo has a playground area and shaded picnic tables that are included in the entry fee. Hours 9 am to 5 pm every day except Christmas & New Years Day. Under 2, Free, Age 3 to 11 and 60+, $1.1a, Age 12 to 59, $2.20.

The Toy Train Depot, +1 575 437-2855, [5]. The Toy Train Depot has a small-scale train ride departing every 30 minutes from the depot, circling Alameda Park. Hundreds of model train and toy trains are on display inside the 100-year-old depot, including a 1,000 square foot HO layout depicting Alamogordo in the 1940’s. The Toy Train Depot houses the smallest scaled working train in the world. Hours are noon to 5 pm Wednesday through Sunday.

Tularosa Basin Historical Museum, 1301 North White Sands Blvd, +1 575 434-4438, [6]. It is adjacent to the Alameda Park & Zoo and has a large display of articles and photos of the history and early days of the area. Open 10 am to 4 pm Monday - Friday; 10 am to 3 pm on Saturday. Closed Sundays. Free.

Kids' Kingdom, just off of Indian Wells Road between Oregon & Washington Ave. A park with a large jungle gym. Free.

White Sands Hot Air Balloon Invitational. This annual balloon festival sees numerous balloons rising over the monument. Held Saturday and Sunday, with the 2012 event's Saturday launch from Alamogordo and Sunday from White Sands National Monument.

Do

Trinity Site Tour - +1 800 826-0294, (575) 678-1134, [8], [9]. The Trinity site, where the first atomic bomb was detonated in 1945, is open twice a year for tours on the first Saturday in April and October. Tours depart from Tularosa High School Athletic Field, begin at 6:30 am and cost $35.

Dates:

2012: 7 April and 6 October.

Desert Lake Golf Course - 2351 Hamilton Rd, +1 575 437-0290, [10]. Desert Lakes Golf Course is a true “desert” beauty with the Sacramento Mountains in the background. This is quickly emerging as one of the finest 18-hole golf courses in southern New Mexico. It recently was renovated to make it a more challenging and beautiful course. Open 7- days per week weather permitting.

Holloman Airforce Base - Hwy 70 just west of Alamogordo, [11]. Holloman is home to the F-22 Raptor, the MQ-9 Reaper, and the MQ-1 Predator. It will soon be home to the F-16, to arrive from Luke AFB near Phoenix, AZ.

The Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge occurs at Holloman. Put on by X-Prize, teams compete for a chance to will $2 million for completing a series of challenges in a competition designed to find technology for the next generation of lunar landers. This year it will coincide with the airshow, Friday, October 26th - Sunday, October 28th 2007.

La Luz public shooting range. A public shooting range in nearby La Luz with 50, 200 and 360 yard bays. Shoot all day for $5. [13]

The Tularosa Basin wine festival each fall, usually the weekend before the Balloon Fest in Albuquerque [14].

Dates:

2011: 17-18 September.

2012: 15-16 September.

Oktoberfest. The last weekend in September, hosted by the German Air Force at Holloman AFB.

Dates:

2012: 22 September.

The Bataan Memorial Death March.[15] Each year, WSMR and the VFW sponsor a marathon in memory of the participants of the Bataan Death March in WWII.

Dates:

2012: 25 March 2012.

2013: 17 March 2013.

Learn

New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired - 1900 White Sands Blvd., +1 800 437-3505, [16]. Started in 1903 to provide training and support for blind children to so they can lead independent and productive lives. New Mexico residents are not charged tuition to attend the school and it supports students from birth through 21 years old.

New Mexico State University-Alamogordo Branch - Branch of NMSU in Alamogordo.

Buy

There are many shops, gas stations, banks and other ameneties located going through Alamagordo along White Sands Blvd (US 70/54). If shopping is your specific goal then you won't want to miss the following area.

HI-D-Ho Drive In 414 South White Sands Boulevard, Alamogordo, NM 88310, (575) 437-6400. This is the best burger in town, specifically, the Tiger Burger with double meat and great tasting fries.

Rebecca's at The Lodge, the restaurant in the Lodge hotel in nearby Cloudcroft, which serves an excellent champagne brunch on Sundays. [18]

Casa de Suenos. in nearby Tularosa.

Drink

There are few establishments in the city specifically focused on drinking (that is to say, bars). Besides the Chili's and Applebee's, the two most popular places to drink are:

Jerry's, near the Walmart.

The Palmside, attached to one of the local motels on White Sands Boulevard.

The Western Bar in Cloudcroft remains a popular place to visit and drink for people from Alamogordo, especially on Saturday nights, which feature karaoke.

Note also the following private clubs which have establishments in the city. As private organizations, they are subject to different laws than public restaurants and bars. The VFW, for example, legally allows smoking indoors.

The American Legion

The Veterans of Foreign Wars

The Elk's Lodge, near the Desert Lakes golf course.

Sleep

Best Western Desert Aire Hotel - 1021 S White Sands Blvd., +1 800 565-1988, [19]. Within a few miles of Alamogordo's major attractions. $55 - $75.

Get out

White Sands Missile Range[25] is an army base about 45 minutes southwest by car. General public visitors should check on times and ability to access the base.

Ruidoso is an hour away and Cloudcroft is less than 30 minutes away, both are great mountain retreats.

The Inn of the Mountain Gods[26] is a hotel and casino, along with golf, horseback riding, and a hunting lodge on the nearby Mescalero Apache reservation. Itis accessible by road between Alamogordo and Ruidoso.

The Three Rivers Petroglyph Site[27] is about 30 miles north of Alamogordo on US 54, on the east side of the road.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!